The massages were posted regarding World Day of Remembrance for road traffic victims on the 15th of November. Since the adoption of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 60/5, the observance has spread to a growing number of countries on every continent. In this scope, Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc reitareted EU’s commitment to road safety by saying; “Today is the Remembrance Day for all road victims from all over the world. There are too many road casualties. Just recently over 40 people lost their lives in France. No matter what we do, in spite the decreasing statistics, 70 people still die every day on European roads. But this is not about statistics. Behind this number, there are grieving families, a lot of sadness and lost futures. In many countries, memorials for road victims have been established. I find this initiative particularly touching. There is a lot of work for us to do in the future; on operational, strategic level – on a day-to-day basis. We need to pay special attention to those most vulnerable, pedestrians and cyclists. I am sure that zero fatality on European roads is still the right goal. I am convinced that if we work together hand in hand, every day, in every Member State, we can achieve it during our lifetime.”
This World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is aimed at stressing the importance for safer road transportation. The Day has become an important tool in global efforts to reduce road casualties. It offers an opportunity for drawing attention to the scale of emotional and economic devastation caused by road crashes and for giving recognition to the suffering of road crash victims and the work of support and rescue services. In 2008, remembrance services and other related events were held in such countries as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, Uganda and the United States, and almost every country in Europe. A dedicated website was also launched to make the Day more widely known and to link countries through sharing common objectives and the remembrance of people killed and injured in crashes. UN Secretary-General’s message for 2015 “The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is a time to reflect on the needless tragedies that occur each day on the world’s roads. Despite improvements in road safety, we still face some shocking injury and fatality figures. Road traffic accidents kill an estimated 1.25 million people each year — 90 per cent of them in middle- and low-income countries. Such accidents are the leading cause of death among young people aged between 15 and 29. Almost half of all road traffic deaths are among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. I call on governments to tighten enforcement of laws on speeding, drinking and driving, and to mandate and enforce the use of seat-belts, motorcycle helmets and child restraints — all of which have been shown to save lives.” The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) is commemorated on the third Sunday of November each year – to remember the many millions killed and injured
on the world’s roads, together with their families, friends and many others who are also affected.